Sand-barge.



. G. WEST.

-SAND BARGE.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 10, 1914 y 1,1217, l 3 Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

THE NDRRIS PETERS Co.. PHoTo-LlrHa, WASHING VONA D. C,

iin-iran stares ramena ortica,

CHARLES C. WEST, 0F MANITOVOC, WISCONSIN. ASSIGNOR IO MANITOW'OC SHIP BUILDING AND DRY DOCK COMPANY, OF MANITOl/VOC, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORA- TION 0F WISCONSIN.

SAND-BARGE.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Feb. 2, MM5.

Application filed August 10, 1914, Serial No. 855,965.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES C. VEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manitowoc, in the county of Manitowoc and State of ldlistsonsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sandl'arges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates generally to sand barges, and has reference more particularly to a suction screening device arranged for use in connection with a sand barge receptacle wherein the load is dumped while in a semi-liquid state.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a suction screening device in a sand barge hopper for the purpose of straining the water retained by the sand, and thereby condition the load while in transit for its ready removal and deposit in a inerchantable condition ashore, in readiness for further handling. Another object is to locate the screening device in the receptacle in such a manner that it occupies a position out of the path of travel of unloading devices, which otherwise might inflict considerable damage upon the screening device and impair its usefulness.

These, together with such other objects as may hereinafter appear, or are incident to my invention, I obtain by means of a construction illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein z- Figure l represents a longitudinal partial sectional view of a sand barge illustrating the application of my invention thereto.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of the hopper along the line Uhu of Figure l. showing the arrangement of the screening device in the hopper, the outer covering of the device being partially removed; and,

Figure 3 is a section taken through F igure 2 along the line III-III.

As is well known, where sand or other material dredged from the bottom of a body of water .is dumped into the hoppers of a sand barge, it is customary when the barge arrives at its destination to discharge the same in its semi-liquid state by means of suction pumps to a point of deposit at a wharf. There the water is allowed to drain away so as to condition it for further handling. It is my aim to arrange a suction screening device in the hopper for the purpose of more rapidly conditioning the sand for transfer, and while in transit so that it may be readily and quickly discharged on its arrival by suitable unloading devices so as to be in a merchantable condition at the place of deposit and in shape for its immediate further handling.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the barge A is provided with one or more sand containing hoppers B having hopper bottoms, each comprising in this case the transverse walls or bulkheads 4l, inclined side walls 5 and base 6.

Preferably extending transversely of the hopper is a perforated pipe section 7., disposed horizontally in the hopper bottom and formed with the perforations 8, and having ianges 9 at its open ends which rest upon the base 6. These ends are closed by heads l0 and l0a which are bolted to the iianges 9. vWrapped around the body of the perforated pipe 7 is a tine screen covering 1I, preferably a very fine wire cloth, of such relative ineness as to insure the perforations 8 against being clogged by dirt and to prevent entrance of sand therethrough and into the pipe 7.

The head l()a is tapped at its lowermost point to receive one end of the elbow or branch pipe l2, which latter extends through the side wall 5, and depends downwardly therefrom to have its other end connected with a longitudinal conduit .13 underlying the hoppers B. This conduit communicates with as many hopper screening devices as may be deemed desirable to use, and has its outlet connected with the suction side of a suction pump, indicated at C, in Figure l, which may discharge outboard through the pipe lll.

The object being to strain the water from the sand in the hoppers, whereby to condition it for removal by suitable lifting means, as a clam shell device, it will be obvious that in order to prevent damage of the screening device by the clam shells in the unloading operation it is necessary that the hopper be conformed to protect it; and, as shown, a portion of the hopper wall is offset or recessed adjacent the base, as at l5, to constitute a pocket 16 within which the screening device is located. When thus positioned the screening device is entirely out of the path of travel of the clam shells,

Vith the pump C in motion, the water in the sand gravitating to the hopper bottom is drawn through the comparatively finer openings in the wire screen covering 11 and the larger perfor-ations 8 into the pipe 7, from whence it is induced to flow past the branch pipe 12, through the pipe 13, and outboard through the outlet pipe 14, until the sand is in a comparatively dry state and in readiness for unloading. As positioned, it will be readily seen from an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 that the entire screening surface of the device is presented to the load, the flanges 9 holding the screen out of contact and away from the walls of the hopper.

From the foregoing, the essential features, elements and operation of the device, together with its simplicity and other advantages thereof, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following 1. A sand barge of the type wherein clam shell or similar bucket unloading devices are vdesigned to be employed to unload the hopper contents, the combination of the sand containing hopper, a self-contained suction screening device disposed with said hopper out of the path of travel of said unloading devices and provided with a head and an outlet opening formed in said head, and a suction creating device located adjacent said hopper and having a tubular connection leading to its suction side from the said outlet opening, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. ln a sand barge of the type wherein clam-shell or similar bucket unloading devices are designed to be employed for unloading the hopper contents, the combination of the hopper having a portion of its frame formed or recessed to provide an Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the open faced pocket so located therein as to have its opening face within the hopper and adjacent the base line thereof, and a suction screening device disposed with reference to said pocket whereby its screening surface adjacent the said opening is disposed out of the path of travel of said uns loading devices and presented to the hopper contents for conditioning the same for unloading, substantially as described.

3. A barge having a sand containing hopper and of the type wherein clam shell or similar bucket unloading devices are designed to be employed for unloading the hopper contents, and suction means for conditioning the sand therein prior to unloading comprising a tubular screening device disposed within said hopper out of the path of travel of said unloading devices and having an outlet, a suction creating device, a suction conduit longitudinally disposed adjacent the hopper base and communicating at one end with the suction side of the suction creating device, and a branch pipe connecting the conduit with the said outlet.

1. In a sand barge, the combination of a sand receptacle having a base, means for conditioning the sand therein comprising a tubular suction screening device disposed transversely across said base and provided with larger diametered heads resting on said base and by which the device is supported in a manner to present its entire screening surface to the sand in the hopper, one of said heads having an outlet, and a suction creating device communicating with said outlet.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribed witnesses.

CHARLES C. YVES' Vitnesses:

ELMER ViLLs, N. A. KNUDsoN.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

